Wong, whose organisation is a unit jointly created by the Singaporean government's Ministry of Manpower, the Singapore Economic Development Board, and Singapore Management University to develop employment and skills, told Business Insider in an interview during the WEF's annual meeting that this was why Asia's workforce was at a crossroads and that countries needed to find better ways to develop talent and promote international mobility.

"Asia has been, and will continue to be, a significant contributor to global growth," Wong told Business Insider. "Faced with anaemic growth rates in their home markets, US and European multinationals have looked to the East as it evolves from being a low-cost production base to an attractive market in its own right that is home to a rapidly growing middle class.

The skyline of the financial district in Singapore. Thomson Reuters "At the same time, Asian companies are looking to globalise and expand into markets beyond their home turf. Taken together, this has led to an immense war for talent in Asia in recent years."

Wong's comments coincide with the conference's theme of "Mastering the Fourth Industrial Revolution," which is looking at how technology is reshaping the world.

Wong says "mobility of talent is a key solution to balance surpluses and deficits of skills across the world."

"As connectivity increases, technology and globalisation often go hand in hand," she added. "Hence, besides digital awareness, executives and CEOs would do well to develop a strong grasp of global market dynamics, regulatory regimes, customer behaviour, and cultural nuances in order to capitalise on the opportunities that digitisation enables.

"In Asia, there is a significant focus on developing Asian leaders that have the ability to take on regional and global roles. Similarly, companies have a great interest in ensuring that expatriates are equipped to lead effectively in the region. The HCLI was established for precisely these reasons — to develop insights on leadership and human capital in Asia, and to develop leaders for and from Asia.

"Recent research published by the HCLI similarly indicates that the lack of mobility among Asean talent has led to a mismatch between required skills and the current skillset possessed by executives."